If he swing by the string He will hear the bell ring And then there's an end to poor Tommy He must hang by the noose For no hand will cut loose The rope from the neck of poor Tommy. Long long ago on a summer day There in the sunlight he swung Children were playing, the crowd was gay This was the song that was sung If he swing by the string He will hear the bell ring And then there's an end to poor Tommy He must hang by the noose For no hand will cut loose The rope from the neck of poor Tommy. Down went the sun over Tiger Hill Tommy was dead and gone Gone was the crowd and the night was still Only their soul lingered on Chorus: If he swing by the string He will hear the bell ring And then there's an end to poor Tommy He must hang by the noose For no hand will cut loose The rope from the neck of poor Tommy. Outside a jail only yesterday Mother was wiping a tear People were waiting their faces grey But their song hadn't changed through the year If he swing by the string He will hear the bell ring And then there's an end to poor Tommy He must hang by the noose For no hand will cut loose The rope from the neck of poor Tommy. If he swing If he swing If he swing